Tim Senic wins first LM feature of 2008 at the Elkins Speedway

By Bob Reed

Kerens, WV.  7/11/2008.  Tim Senic, Elkins took the lead on a lap 22 caution when leader Bob Gordon spun in turn 3 and collected 2^nd running Billy Holbert.  Senic, who had started 7^th was charging toward the front, assumed the lead and led the final 4 laps for his first Budweiser LM win at the Elkins Speedway since May 25, 2007.

Steve Booth and Holbert led the 17 car field to the green with Holbert taking the lead followed by Booth, Butch McGill, Bob Gordon, Chuck Harper, Charlie George, Senic, Paul Wilmoth, Joe Loudin and Brad Hudson.  On lap 2 McGill took 2^nd while Wilmoth dropped Senic to 8^th.  Holbert began building up a big lead while Gordon was on the move as he took over 3^rd on lap 3 and then 2^nd on lap 9.  Senic and Wilmoth were also going forward as both had gotten by Harper and Booth.

The first caution of the night flew on lap 13 when Richard Frazier and Josh Coffman tangled in turn 2.  This took away Holbert’s big lead and put Gordon on his tail.  At this point the top 10 was Holbert, Gordon, McGill, George, Wilmoth, Senic, Harper, Loudin, Hawkins and Hamrick.  All 17 cars were still in action with only Ron Clevenger 1 lap down.

When the green flew it only took Gordon two laps until he passed Holbert for the lead and he then began building up a big lead of his own while Holbert also had a big lead over the rest of the field.  Gordon had almost a straight lead and was catching the end of the field when he entered lap 3 on the 22^nd lap and just looped it.  Gordon was sitting crossways in the middle of the track.  Holbert tried to miss him by going above but his car slid into Gordon and he was involved which sent him to the tail.  Senic who was almost a half straight behind Holbert slowly went by the two cars and assumed the lead when the green came out.

Senic drove away from Butch McGill to win by 5 car lengths for his first win of 2008 at the Elkins Speedway.  McGill was 2^nd followed by George, Harper and Jerrod Hawkins.

Heats to George, Gordon and Wilmoth.

Notes:  18 cars in the pits with 17 starting the feature.  16 were running after 25 laps.  Only Gordon dropped out after his spin and contact from Holbert.  Only 2 cautions.  Hard charger was Skip Hare who started 17^th and finished 10^th, a gain of 7 spots.

Notes:  Senic’s #S2 is a Chevrolet powered Rocket and is sponsored by Roy’s RV Supercenter, TRE, Residential Creations and Hoosier.

Joel Prosser making his first visit of 2008 to the Elkins Speedway captured the J&M Grafix SL 40 Lap Special worth $600 to the winner.

Tom Harris and Prosser led the field to the green with Harris taking the lead over Prosser, Kevin Keene, Brad Harris and Chad Green.   Through the first 20 laps the only change in this order was when John Tallman got by Chad Green on lap 3 for 5^th.  The rest of the field couldn’t keep running as most of them either were causing cautions or dropping out.  At the 20 lap mark only 8 cars were running.

Then on lap 21 coming through turns 3 & 4 the driveshaft came out of the leader’s car and he drifted to a stop.  This handed the lead to Prosser which he never relinquished.

Tallman took advantage of cautions as on the restarts he would get by the car in front of him.  He used this to his advantage to get by both Brad Harris and Kevin Keene to get to 2^nd from where he pressed Prosser over the final 17 laps.  He tried every trick that he knew to get Prosser to move off the top but Prosser never made a mistake and held on for the win.  At the checkered Tallman was at the rear quarter of Prosser but Prosser had the win with Tallman 2^nd, Keene 3^rd, Jim Cochran 4^th and Chad Green 5^th.  Heats to Green and Nick Corley.

Notes:  Only 12 cars in the pits with all 12 starting the feature.  Only 8 running after 40 laps.  Only 6 ran all 40 laps.  Hard charger was Tallman who started 7^th and finished 2^nd, a gain of 5 spots.

Notes:  Prosser’s #77 is a KOM Legal SL and draws its power from Miller Equipment Co Racing Engine parts.  It is sponsored by Dutch Pantry Restaurant, Crown Services, AMSOIL and Hoosier.

Todd Dennis in his first visit to Elkins in several years passed leader Teresa Vaughn on lap 8 and led the final 8 laps for his first ever PS win at the Speedway.  Vaughn hung on for 2^nd while last week’s winner Dusty Swecker was 3^rd with Ricky Vest 4^th and Speck Yokum 5^th.  Heats to Dennis and Swecker.

Notes:  Todd Dennis is the son of former Elkin’s track champion and many time winner L.J. Dennis of Markleysburg, PA.  Back in the 60s and 70s L.J. drove the famous Rainbow ‘7’ which was owned by Dick Armstrong.

Notes:  17 cars in the pits with 15 starting the feature.  Only 11 running after 15 laps.  Only 1 caution slowed the action.  Hard charger was Ricky Vest who started 13^th and finished 4^th, a gain of 9 spots.

Dave Gabbert won his first 4 Cyl feature in 2008 by leading all 12 laps from the pole.  Dave Summers challenged him for the first 4 laps but almost spun on lap 5 and dropped back.  Steve Sisler took 2^nd for one lap until Dickie Tharp passed him and began challenging Gabbert but Gabbert fended off all challenges.  He led by several car lengths over Tharp with Sisler 3^rd, Summers 4^th and Alan Sisler 5^th.  Heats to Travis Mullenax and Tharp.

Notes:  11 cars in the pits with10 starting the feature.  Only 7 finished.  Only 1 caution.  Hard charger was Alan Sisler who started 10^th and finished 5^th, a gain of 5 spots.

Notes:  New cars tonight were the #D1 of Dave Gabbert, the #15 of Dave Summers and the #1B of Bob Moore.  Gabbert in 2005 won many features with this same car.

Ryan Watson won his first ever Mini Wedge feature over a 13 car field.

For further information check the website @www.elkinsmotorspeedway.com.

SUMMARY

BUDWEISER LM – FEATURE – Tim Senic, Butch McGill, Charlie George, Chuck Harper, Jarrod Hawkins, Paul Wilmoth Jr, Joe Loudin, Steve Booth, Dusty Hamrick, Skip Hare, Josh Coffman, Richard Frazier, Shawn Poling, Billy Holbert, Brad Hudson, Ron Clevenger, Bob Gordon.  DNS – Jim McCloud.

Ht 1 – George, McGill, Booth, Coffman, Clevenger.  DNS - McCloud.

Ht 2 – Gordon, Loudin, Senic, Hawkins, Hamrick, Poling.

Ht 3 – Wilmoth, Harper, Holbert, Hudson, Frazier.  DNS – Hare.

J&M GRAFIX SL – FEATURE - Joel Prosser, John Tallman, Kevin Keene, Jim Cochran, Chad Green, Nick Corley, Sonny Conley, Brad Harris, Anthony Arbogast, Tom Harris, Joe Clutter, Mike Sturm.

Ht 1 – Green, Conley, Brad Harris, Tallman, Cochran, Clutter.

Ht 2 – Corley, Keene, Tom Harris, Prosser, Arbogast, Sturm.

PS – FEATURE – Todd Dennis, Teresa Vaughn, Dusty Swecker, Ricky Vest, Speck Yokum, Jimbo Owens, Dustin Isner, Randy Thornhill, Jeff Hess, John Isner, Kenny Vest, Justin Chipps, Brandon Kerr, Bryan Blake, Robin Maxson.  DNS – Johnny Singleton, Bill Vandevender.

Ht 1 – Dennis, Vaughn, Kerr, Chipps, Owens, Maxson, Ricky Vest, John Isner.  DNS – Vandevender.

Ht 2 – Swecker, Yokum, Blake, Hess, Dustin Isner, Kenny Vest, Thornhill.  DNS – Singleton.

4 CYL – FEATURE – Dave Gabbert, Dickie Tharp, Steve Sisler, Dave Summers, Alan Sisler, Zac Williams, Bob Moore, Daniel Simpson, Rick Kesler, Mike Murphy.  DNS – Travis Mullenax.

Ht 1 – Mullenax, Steve Sisler, Murphy, Kesler, Moore, Simpson.

Ht 2 – Tharp, Gabbert, Summers, Williams, Alan Sisler.

MINI WEDGE – FEATURE – Ryan Watson.